Ancoats apartments hit by nine-month delay

Many of the homes in Manchester Life’s Murrays’ Mills development in Ancoats will not be handed over until May this year, nearly nine months after the scheme’s original September 2018 completion date.

Contractor Graham is currently delivering the project, which includes 123 one, two, and three-bed apartments and one townhouse in Ancoats.

The apartments are set across a number of buildings, some of which date to the early 1800s, while there is also a new-build element which replaces a former mill building demolished in the 1990s. Manchester Life, the joint venture between Manchester City Council and Manchester City FC owners Abu Dhabi United Group, is the developer.

Graham has been on site since December 2015, with completion originally pencilled in for September 2018. However, Place North West understands there have been a series of delays due to complexities around restoring the site’s historic buildings, with handover pushed back to March 2019.

This initial delay was communicated to purchasers last summer, but this week, buyers contacted Place North West after being told that completion would not now be until April or May this year.

While some purchasers will be moving in during March, many will not be able to move in until May, nearly nine months after the project’s original completion date, with stair cores the last element still awaiting the finishing touches. It is hoped the project will be fully handed over in late spring.

Graham has already replaced its M&E subcontractor Imtech on the job, with Ameon stepping in to take over the £2m works package late last year. This is not understood to have had a bearing on the project’s timescale.

A Manchester Life spokesperson said: “Regrettably, we can confirm move-in dates for Murrays’ Mills purchasers was due to be March 2019, having previously been set for September 2018, however a number of homes will now not be available until April or May ‘19.

“Murrays’ has been an extremely complex restoration and build, which has unearthed challenges along the way that could not be foreseen. Throughout, we have taken the most extensive measures to ensure we’ve fulfilled our commitment to restoration and quality in this one of a kind transformation and creation of homes in this amazing part of Manchester’s heritage.

“Manchester Life and Graham Construction sincerely apologise for the inconveniences the delays have caused our purchasers, and we are now discussing with each individual how we can support on a case by case basis.”

Manchester Life has a number of other projects in the Ancoats area including Vesta, which features 171 apartments for private sale in a £27.7m development. It is also developing a site at New Little Mill, including a façade retention of a listed building.

Other schemes in the area, including Sawmill Court and blocks at New Union Street, were delivered on-time by contractors Eric Wright Group and John Sisk & Son respectively.

Along with Murrays’ Mills, another of Graham’s major projects in central Manchester for Glenbrook at Ellesmere Street has also been delayed; the 232-apartment scheme in Castlefield was originally due to hand over last summer but works are still ongoing.

Graham was contacted for comment.

One of the kitchens in Murrays Mills, from the development’s show apartment